Kit and method for playing a game

ABSTRACT

A game played on a golf course using a tennis racquet, a putter and a ball. The game may involve a player generally following the rules of golf, but using a tennis racquet to hit a ball on the golf course towards a green, and then putting the ball once on the green. Also, equipment for playing the game. The equipment may include a tennis racquet, a golf putter and a ball. Preferably, the ball is a specially designed ball that is distinct from a tennis ball or a golf ball.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims the benefit of U.S. ProvisionalApplication No. 61/389,008, filed on Oct. 1, 2010. The entire contentsof U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/389,008 are hereby incorporatedherein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The disclosure relates to the field of recreational games and toequipment for playing them. Specifically, the disclosure relates to agame played with a racquet, e.g., a tennis racquet, and a club, e.g., aputter, on a course, e.g., a golf course, with a ball, e.g., a rubberball designed for this new game.

BACKGROUND

The game of golf has been played for years. However, for most players,the game of golf requires special skill in order to enjoy the game. Anew game that allows players to use a golf course provides a newchallenge for skilled golfers, and a new experience for unskilledgolfers. Such a new game will allow increased play, and accordinglyincreased revenue, for golf courses. Further, such a new game will allowfor new equipment manufacturing opportunities.

SUMMARY

A first aspect of the disclosure relates to a game played on a golfcourse using a tennis racquet, a putter and a ball. In an embodiment,the game may involve a player generally following the rules of golf, butusing a tennis racquet to hit a ball on the golf course towards a green,and then putting the ball once on the green.

The game may involve a grouping of players only playing the new game ona course. Alternative, the game may involve a mixture of golfers andplayers playing the new game as part of a grouping playingsimultaneously on a golf course.

A second aspect of the disclosure relates to equipment for playing thegame. In an embodiment, the equipment may include a tennis racquet, agolf putter and a ball. Preferably, the ball is a specially designedball that is distinct from a tennis ball or a golf ball.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In a preferred embodiment, the disclosure includes a method of playing agame comprising providing a player with a racquet, a putter and a ball,and the player then hitting the ball on a course with the racquet.Preferably, the course is a golf course. However, the course may be afield of play otherwise suitable for playing the game. For example,course may be specifically built and/or designed for the game. Apreferred course includes an initial hitting area and a putting area. Ona golf course, the initial hitting area is preferably a tee box, and theputting area is preferably a green.

In playing the game, a player uses the racquet to hit the ball from theinitial hitting area. A goal of the game is to get the ball into thehole with a minimum number of hits, and with a minimum number of penaltyhits. A penalty hit may be applied as in the rules of golf, such as forhitting the ball out of the area of the course, e.g., out-of-bounds, orinto a body of water water, e.g., a pond, lake, stream, or river.Preferably, a player is also assessed a penalty hit for hitting into asand trap, preferably only sand traps in an area directly surrounding agreen.

In an embodiment, the initial hitting area may be the tee box of a golfcourse. Alternatively, the initial hitting area may be any areadesignated for a hole to begin.

In an embodiment, the racquet comprises a shaft and a large, preferablyflat hitting surface. In a preferred embodiment, the racquet is a tennisracquet. The racquet may be modified from a standard tennis in variousaspects, such as the string material, winding pattern of the string, andtension of the string. Alternatively, the racquet may have a solidhitting surface, and may comprise grooves. Preferably, a tennis racquetis used with strings that are strung at a tension that is at thelightest end of the recommended range.

In hitting the ball the player may use any suitable swing to hit theball. For example, the player may use an overhead swing, as is typicalwith a serve in tennis. For example, the player may use a forehandswing, as is typical in a return in tennis. Preferably, the ball istossed in the air and hit prior to reaching the ground. Alternatively,the ball may be bounced against the ground, or a mat or similar surfaceplaced on the ground, and hit while in the air. Further, the ball may behit while suspended in the air on a tee, or similar device, or evenwhile on the ground.

Once the ball is hit from the initial hitting area, the ball may be inan area of the course besides the putting area. For example, on a golfcourse, the ball may be in the fairway, rough or a sand trap. In playingthe game, when the ball is in an area of the course besides the puttingarea, the player uses the racquet to again hit the ball in an attempt toadvance the ball onto the putting area, preferably in the hole. Whenhitting the ball after the initial hit, the player may hit the ball withany of the suitable swings and ball placements described above. In asand trap, the player hit from where the ball came to rest within thesand trap, or may be directed to hit from an area outside the sand trap,for example, further from the hole than the original position of theball along a line from the original position of the ball and the hole.

A hit may result in the ball being advanced into the hole. In such asituation the ball is retrieved from the hole and taken to a subsequentinitial hitting area on the course in order to play a new hole. This maybe continued until a game is complete, e.g., for nine or eighteen holes.A winner may be determined based on the total score, hits plus penaltyhits, or may be determined in a match play format where each hole has awinner and the total number of holes won is used to determine a winner.If player is playing a game according an embodiment of this disclosureagainst a golfer, the player may be given certain advantages, such ashitting from an initial hitting area that is closer to the hole than theinitial hitting area used by the golfer. For example, the player may useforward tees, such as senior, ladies or junior tees while the golferuses a set of tees resulting in a longer set of holes. Further, in anembodiment the player may be allowed an extra hit when playing a golfhole longer than, for example, 400 yards. That is, a hole measuring, forexample, 410 yards may have a par of four for a golfer, but a par offive for a player playing a game according an embodiment of thisdisclosure.

A hit may result in the ball being advanced onto the putting area. Onceon the putting area, the ball is preferably hit with a club. Preferably,the hit is intended to roll the ball along the surface of the puttingarea. The club is preferably a golf putter. Preferably, the clubcomprises a shaft with a grip on one end and a head on the other. Thegrip is intended to be gripped by the player when hitting the ball, andthe head is intended to strike the ball. In embodiments, the club may beused when the ball is off the putting area.

In a preferred embodiment, a player may switch to a different ball uponreaching the putting area. The different ball may be a golf ball.

In an embodiment, the putting area may be the green of a golf course.Alternatively, the putting area may be any area with a relatively smoothsurface that is designed for a ball to be rolled thereon, such as a mownarea or an artificial surface.

Preferably, a player follows the rules of golf, with the exception ofusing the racquet instead of a typical golf club for advancing the ballto the putting area. More preferably, a player also uses a special balldesigned to be distinct from a tennis ball and a golf ball.

The ball may be of a similar diameter and weight as a standard golfball. For example, the ball preferably has a weight of 30-50 g, morepreferably 41-43 g. For example, the ball preferably has a diameter of30-50 mm, more preferably 43-45 mm. Preferably, the ball has at leastthe same bounce (ability to rebound) as a standard golf ball, and morepreferably the ball will bounce 10% more than a standard golf ball,measured at room temperature and standard humidity from a hard surface.In an embodiment, when dropped from a height of 7 ft, the ball willrebound at least 5 ft, more preferably 5.5 ft, measured at roomtemperature and standard humidity from a hard surface. In an embodiment,when dropped from a height of 6 ft, the ball will rebound at least 3.5ft, more preferably 4 ft, measured at room temperature and standardhumidity from a hard surface.

In an embodiment, the ball may have dimples, e.g., as with a standardgolf ball. In a preferred embodiment, the ball is a solid corestructure, without a cover layer. In a preferred embodiment, a coverlayer may be used, for example, to create a design a effect, but thecover layer preferably has the same level of hardness or elasticity asthe core, or is less hard than the core. In a preferred embodiment, theball is a solid rubber ball. In a particularly preferred embodiment, theball is solid-core, dimpled ball, without a cover layer, with half theball being yellow, for example, the color of a tennis ball, and theother half being white, for example, the color of a golf ball.Solid-core indicates a that one general type of material is used for theconstruction of the ball, recognizing that design elements and coloradditives may vary and that the ball may be manufactured as two halvespressed or glued together.

The ball is preferably sufficiently dense, strong, flexible, resilient,compressible and durable so as to withstand repeated impact. However,any material capable of producing a ball achieving an appropriatediameter and weight while being able to bounce an appropriate amount maybe used.

The ball may also have various colors or designs. For example, the ballmay also be manufactured with glow-in-dark materials. Such a ball mayenable the game to be played at night or in early dawn or dusksituations.

In an embodiment, the disclosure includes a method of playing a gamecomprising providing a player with a racquet, a putter and a ball, andhitting a ball on a course with the racquet. Further, the method mayfurther comprise hitting the ball with a club. The course may be a golfcourse, the racquet may be a tennis racquet and the club may be aputter.

In an embodiment, the disclosure includes a method of playing a game ona course, the course comprising an initial hitting area and a puttingarea with a hole, the method comprising hitting a ball with a racquetfrom the initial hitting area towards the putting area, and putting theball with a club on the putting area towards the hole. The course may bea golf course, the initial hitting area may be a tee, the putting areamay be a green, the racquet may be a tennis racquet and the club may bea putter.

In an embodiment, the disclosure includes equipment for playing variousembodiments of the above described game. The equipment may be in a kitcomprising a racquet and a ball, the ball being distinct from a tennisball and a golf ball. Preferably, the racquet is a tennis racquet. Thekit may also comprise a club, preferably a putter.

1. A method of playing a game comprising: providing a player with aracquet, a putter and a first ball, hitting a first ball on a golfcourse with the racquet, and hitting a second ball with the putter. 2.The method of claim 1, wherein the racquet is a tennis racquet.
 3. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the first ball is distinct from a tennis balland a golf ball, and wherein the first and second ball are the sameball.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first ball is distinct froma tennis ball and a golf ball, and wherein the second ball is a golfball.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first ball can rebound 5 ftwhen dropped from 7 ft onto a hard surface.
 6. A method of playing agame on a course, the course comprising an initial hitting area and aputting area with a hole, the method comprising: hitting a first ballwith a racquet from the initial hitting area towards the putting area;putting a second ball with a club on the putting area towards the hole.7. The method of claim 6, wherein the course is a golf course, theinitial hitting area is a tee box, and the putting area is a green. 8.The method of claim 7, wherein the racquet is a tennis racquet and theclub is a putter.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first ball isdistinct from a tennis ball and a golf ball, and wherein the first andsecond ball are the same ball.
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein thefirst ball is distinct from a tennis ball and a golf ball, and whereinthe second ball is a golf ball.
 11. The method of claim 1, wherein thefirst ball can rebound 5 ft when dropped from 7 ft onto a hard surface.12. A kit comprising: a tennis racquet and a first ball, wherein thefirst ball is distinct from a tennis ball and a golf ball
 13. The kit ofclaim 12, the kit further comprising a club.
 14. The kit of claim 13,wherein the club is a putter.
 15. The kit of claim 12, wherein the firstball is a solid-core ball without a cover.
 17. The kit of claim 12, thekit further comprising a golf ball.
 18. The kit of claim 12, the kitfurther comprises a putter and a golf ball.